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NITI Aayog released the second edition of the North Eastern Region (NER) District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index Report for 2023-24 on 7 July 2025. Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER) and with technical support from UNDP, the index evaluates SDG performance at the district level across the eight northeastern states.
Building on the inaugural edition from 2021, the updated index enhances regional tracking of social, economic, and environmental progress. It is designed to support inclusive development and identify localized challenges, utilizing the methodology of NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index to inform data-driven policy decisions.
The report was officially unveiled by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery, CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, MoDoNER Secretary Chanchal Kumar, and UNDP Resident Representative Angela Lusigi. Senior officials including SDG Programme Director Rajib Kumar Sen also participated in the launch.
This initiative underscores the spirit of cooperative federalism, bringing together NITI Aayog, MoDoNER, and all eight northeastern states to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and promote equitable regional growth.
Highlighting the findings, CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam invoked the Prime Minister’s vision of the Northeast as the “Ashta Lakshmi”—a symbol of prosperity through its eight constituent states—and emphasized its growing importance in India’s overall development strategy.
Notably, all districts in Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura achieved Front Runner status. No districts from these states were classified as Aspirant or Achiever, indicating uniformly strong but improvable performance. Mizoram’s Hnahthial district topped the index with a score of 81.43, while Longding district in Arunachal Pradesh ranked lowest at 58.71.
Among all states, Sikkim recorded the narrowest gap—only 5.5 points—between its highest and lowest scoring districts, demonstrating balanced and consistent development. Tripura also showed strong, evenly distributed performance, while Mizoram and Nagaland displayed greater disparities in district-wise scores.
